Can piercing and dispensing device



Dec. 19, 1933.

11W 7 12 a"! b a F. A. PRAHL CAN PIERCING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed July 13, 1935 as M 11 F 5; 1 6 J Elmo/114301:

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Wk WM$*PZI Patented Dec. 19, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN PIERCIN G AND DISPENSING DEVICE Application July 13, 1933. Serial No. 680,322 I 3 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in can piercing and dispensing devices which are adapted to be used in connection with hermetically sealed cans.

An object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device which can be firmly attached to a can so as to provide a sealed tight joint be tween the end seam of the can and the dispensing device, which dispensing device is provided with a cutter for puncturing the end of the can and forming a dispensing opening therethrough when said device is attached to the can.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device of the above type with a body portion conforming to and housing a portion of the end of the can, and also housing the piercing cutter when the dispensing device is removed from the can.

In the drawing-#- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a dispensing device embodying the improvements, said device being attached to a can preparatory to the inverting of the same and dispensing the liquid therefrom;

Fig. 2 is a view showing more or less diagrammatically the dispensing device and can inverted for dispensing the contents of the can into the receiving pipe;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the dispensing device 30 removed from the can,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through a portion of the dispensing device and one of the cutters which is attached thereto, and

Fig. 5 is a section of the can showing the opening formed by one of the cutters.

The invention is directed to a combined can piercing and dispensing device for use in connection with the dispensing of lubricating oil 40 marketed in hermetically sealed cans. The oil is put up by the original dispenser in sealed metal cans. The oil is sold in these original packages at the filling stations, which are opened in the presence 01. the customer and emptied into the chamber where it is to be utilized for lubricating purposes. The dispensing device is provided with a body portion which is cylindrical and which conforms to the can to which it is to be attached. Located within the body portion and at a relatively short distance from the open end thereoi is a supporting ledge on which rests an elastic gasket. The body portion of the dispensing device carries a pouring spout, preferably located centrally of the body portion, and the body portion gradually tapers into this spout. Located within the body portion is one or more cutters, preferably three, which are attached to the body portion adjacent the supporting ledge and between the ledge and the end of the spout. The cutter projects toward the open end of the body portion of the dispensing device and the piercing point terminates adjacent said open end. There are cutting edges receding from the piercing point, and the cutter is shaped so as to cut the metal on a U-shaped line, rolling back the portion cut out so as to form a relatively large opening. The cutter is spaced from the wall of the dispensing device between the ledge and the open end thereof, so that when the dispensing device is placed down over the end of a can, said cutter will pierce the can end close to the double seam and form an opening which lies close to said double seam so as to permit the pouring of the entire contents of the can through the opening. There is also associated with the body portion of the dispensing device, means for firmly securing the dispensing device to the can, with the end seam of the can contacting with the elastic gasket and making a tight seal therewith.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the improved can piercing and dispensing device includes a body portion 1 carrying a spout 2. The body portion is provided with an inwardly pro jecting ledge 3, and from this ledge, the body portion gradually decreases in diameter so that the body portion emerges into the spout 2. The open end of the body portion 1 is beveled as indicated at 4. An elastic gasket 5 is seated in a recess in the inner wall of the body portion of the dispensing device and rests against the ledge 3. The wall of the dispensing device is thickened to the extent of the thickness of the supporting ledge as indicated at 6. This is for the purpose of supporting a cutter 7. As indicated in the drawing, there are three cutters, 7, 8 and 9, which are all similar in construction and similarly mounted on the body portion of the dispensing device, and therefore, the description of one and its mounting will serve for the others. The cutter 7 has a piercing point 10 with cutting edges 11, 11 receding from said piercing point so that the can will be out along the line a (Fig. 5), thence along lines D, b, thus cutting out a section 0 which is rolled by the cutter as indicated in Fig. 1, so as to provide a relatively large discharge opening through which the lubricating oil may be dispensed. The wings of the cutter are provided with openings 12. The cutter is attached to the body portion by screws 13, 13, and the cutter is so dimensioned that the point terminates inside of but adjacent the open end of the body portion of the dispensing device.

In the present form of the invention, the body portion is provided with a recess 14 extending all the way around the inner surface of the body portion, and located in this recess is a coiled spring 15. The coiled spring 15 projects a slight distance inside of the inner face of the body portion of the dispensing device. The lubricating oil is placed in metal cans, which are preferably cylindrical, and which include a body portion 16 to which an end is secured by an end seam 1'7, preferably in the form of a double seam. Such a seam projects outwardly slightly from the wall of the body portion. The dispensing device is placed over the can while resting on a solid foundation and is forced down on to the same. The double seam will pass between the cutter and.- the wall of the dispensing device and will contact with the coiled spring 15 which will yield to allow it to pass, and then said double seam will contact with the elastic gasket. This coiled spring is so positioned that as soon as the double seam passes, it engages the under face of the double seam and yieldingly presses said double seam into tight sealing contact with the gasket. This makes a very firm attachment of the dispensing device to the can, so that the two may be handled as a unit. Simultaneously-with the placing of the dispensing device on the can, the piercing cutters will each form its respective opening in the can end. After the dispensing device is attached to the can, then the can is inverted as indicated in Fig. 2, and the contents of the can pass out through the openings, draining in particular, through the opening formed by the cutter '1' into the spout, and from the spout, into the pipe 18 of a crank casing 19. The purpose of providing three openings is to insure the draining of the entire contents from the can, regardless of the position of the dispensing device. The cutters are concealed so that they are not open to the view of, the operator, and it is, therefore, diflicult to place the can with the selected of the contents of the can will be drained into the dispensing device and through the spout into the chamber where it is to be used.

When the can and dispensing device are in the position shown in Fig. 2, for the lubricating oil into the crank casing, if for any reason there should be a slow discharge through the spout so that the oil backs up in the dispensing device, the tight seal between the double seam and the gasket 3 will prevent any leakage of the oil. After the oil has been dispensed from the can, the dispensing device can be readily removed from the can as it is held through the yielding action of the coiled spring which will likewise yield under pressure to permit the separation of the dispensing device from the can.

It is obvious that changes in the details of construction and the shaping of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-- 1. A combined can piercing and dispensing device comprising a body portion having an open end conforming to and housing the end portion of a can, a spout formed integral with said body portion, said body portion having a ledge spaced from the open end thereof, a cutter attached to the body portion between the spout and said ledge and extending along the wall of said body portion to the open end thereof, said cutter having a piercing point and cutting edges receding therefrom,

said cutter being spaced from said wall between the ledge and the open end whereby said dispensing device may be placed over the can and the cutter caused to pierce the end of the can adjacent the double seam, a sealing gasket contacting with said ledge and adapted to engage the end seam of the can, and means for holding said dispensing device attached to said can and said end seam in sealing contact with said gasket.

2. A combined can piercing and dispensing device comprising a body portion having an open end conforming to and housing the end portion of a can, a spout formed integral with said body portion, said body portion having a ledge spaced from the open end thereof, a cutter attached to the body portion between the spout and said ledge and extending along the wall of said body portion to the open end thereof, said cutter having a piercing point and cutting edges receding therefrom, said cutter being spaced from said wall between the ledge and the open end whereby said dispensing device may be placed over the can and the cutter caused to piercethe end of the can adjacent the double seam, a sealing gasket contacting with said ledge and adapted to engage the end seam of the can, said body portion having a yielding means attached thereto and engag g a d can beneath the double seam thereof for holding said dispensing device attached to said can with the end seam in sealing contact with said gasket.

3. A combined can piercing and dispensing device comprising a body portion having an open end conforming to and housing the end portion of a can, a spout formed integral with said body portion, said body portion having a ledge spaced from the open end thereof, a. cutter attached to the body portion between the spout and said ledge and extending along the wall of said body portion to the open end thereof, said cutter having a piercing point and cutting edges receding therefrom, said cutter being spaced from said wall between the ledge and the open end whereby said device may be placed over the can and the cutter caused to pierce the end of the can adjacent the double seam, a sealing gasket contacting with said ledge and adapted to engage the end seam of the can, said body portion having a recess formed in the inner wall thereof adjacent but spaced from said ledge, and a coiled spring located in said recess and projecting inwardly beyond the inner wall of said body portion so as to yieldingly engage the double seam of a can, pass said double seam and engage the under face of said seam for holding said dispensing device attachedtosaidcanandtheendseaminsealing contact with the gasket.

FREDERICK A. PRAHL. 

